In addition, the clamor generated by Anonymous has raised the profile of the small but vehement anti-Scientology community that existed before Anonymous, and even made for some cross-pollination between the two camps.

Scientology's longtime detractors, such as those at Operation Clambake (xenu.net) and Scientology Lies, claim it is not a religion at all but a business that charges its parishioners ever more onerous fees for access to revealed truths. Other online forums, such as the Ex Scientologist Message Board and ExScientologyKids, have become places for former members to congregate, share stories and offer support

Anonymous members protest Scientology, February 10 2008
Is Scientology as big a menace as it’s made out to be? Shant Fabricatorian talks to some of the Church’s longtime opponents

For a lot of his life, L Ron Hubbard believed that "they" were out to bring down Scientology - and him. Mostly, it was the work of the same overactive imagination which made him a successful science fiction writer and, many would agree, created the Church of Scientology itself. But were Hubbard alive today, he would have sound backing for his anxiety. A group with the suitably sinister-sounding handle of 'Anonymous' has declared war on Scientology.
For long-term followers of the saga that is "Scientology versus the Internet", this is nothing new. This latest chapter arose as a rejoinder to the release of a video depicting Tom Cruise giving a bizarre speech at a Scientology awards ceremony. The Church of Scientology (CoS) responded with a series of takedown notices and claims of copyright violation in an attempt to remove the video.

Taking this as an attack on free speech and freedom of information, Anonymous retaliated by posting a number of provocative videos, and launching Denial of Service (DoS) attacks against Scientology-owned websites. Since these actions in late January, the campaign has evolved into co-ordinated protests and information dissemination of a more sophisticated bent.

The Anonymous movement maintains a regularly updated wiki-style site as well as a number of chatroom "hubs". One of the more prominent of these is Enturbulation.org, a site designed "to assist people with information concerning the Scientology Organisation and to encourage activism in spreading awareness". Part of this involved hosting forums in order to assist with the co-ordination of a worldwide protest outside Scientology offices on 10 February.

Anonymous has made some fairly provocative statements towards the CoS. These include allegations of active misuse of copyright and trademark law "in pursuit of its own agenda", and that they, "attempted not only to subvert free speech, but to recklessly pervert justice to silence those who spoke out against them".

For a number of Anonymous members, another major concern is the CoS's use of threats of litigious action to cow mainstream media outlets into toning down their coverage. Other known avenues of harassment include the covert videotaping of "suppressive persons", which Enturbulation.org webmaster "tamphex" claims he has recently been subject to.

"There are certainly a lot of more-than-justified reasons for the attention now turned onto them," says tamphex. "Harassment of outspoken critics; a tax exemption which no other religion around the world has access to; offering ‘religious scripture' (referred to as 'Tech') which has outrageous claims of total salvation.

"However, if I was to place my finger on the one glaringly obvious reason why the CoS needs to be exposed on a worldwide basis, is the victimisation of their very own followers. It is only through a series of "auditing", book buying, tape buying, movie buying, more auditing sessions, rinse and repeat, can a follower expect to reach the state of 'Clear' (Cos notion of enlightenment). Unlike other religious organisations around the world, all of this comes at a price. Not just thousands of dollars, but actual forced disconnection from family and friends if they also do not decide to join the 'Church'."

Andreas Heldal-Lund runs Operation Clambake, one of the best known websites claiming to "undress the Church of Scientology". He has publicly criticised the attacks by Anonymous: "Freedom of speech means we need to allow all to speak - including those we strongly disagree with. I am of the opinion that the Church of Scientology is a criminal organisation and a cult which is designed by its delusional founder to abuse people. I am still committed to fight for their right to speak their opinion."

Asking tamphex whether the DoS attacks achieved anything, he answers:

"As far as the DoS attacks go, I was not involved in any form whatsoever so cannot comment on that directly. But I will say this: the media likes to throw the word ‘attack' around quite a lot, as they know the public's ears will prick up. A few thousand people all going to a website at once does not bring up the same visuals if I was to say the CoS has been known to beat its followers if they fail during extensive OT (Operating Thetan) auditing sessions, does it? One of these things is harmless, the other is not."

Is Scientology as big a menace as it's made out to be, and if so, the question must surely be: what next? What, in tamphex's view, is Anonymous trying to achieve?

"The goals are ambitious, very much so. I doubt any of us are unfortunately ever going to bear witness to [the downfall of the CoS], but what we may see and I think [are] capable of accomplishing is the total revoke of their tax exemption status. They can believe in space aliens in volcanoes, that's not our concern - that's not what we're attacking. What we are attacking is the fact they dare call themselves a church, a religion. That needs to change."

With all of that on the table, is it worth the risk of Anonymous being seen as a just a bunch of mischief makers? Indeed, might the whole exercise not prove counterproductive, by increasing publicity for the CoS?

The response is emphatic. "No, definitely not. The CoS could be viewed as an amusement, a traveling Victorian Freak show, a fascinating example of human insanity - if not for the victims they leave in their wake. It is these people that concern me and many, many others. The CoS with their million-dollar lawsuits to silence ex-Scientologists, slander in websites designed to dirty their name, calling employers and getting them fired, telling neighbours that they are paedophiles or drug dealers. This is only the tip of a very dark iceberg and we plan to turn that iceberg upside down for all the world to see."

For further reading on Scientology, see this intriguing chart.

John Carmichael: Are you a homo? Have you come out of the closet?
ANONYMOUS: You're wearing tweed in the summer and you're asking ME if I'm a faggot? Xenu please ...
John Carmichael: What?

Aftenposten, First published: 16 Apr 2008, 08:56Police probe suicide linked to ScientologistsThe daughter of a member of Norway's parliament committed suicide hours after she received what her family claims were "devastating" results from a personality test administered by the Church of Scientology. Police in France, where the young woman was studying, are investigating.

Olav Gunnar Ballo, a member of Norway's parliament, has come out strongly against the Church of Scientology following his daughter's suicide.
PHOTO: MORTEN HOLM/SCANPIX

Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK) reported Tuesday evening that French police are checking alleged links between the suicide of Kaja Bordevich Ballo, age 20, and the Scientologists.

Ballo's father, Olav Gunnar Ballo, is a member of the Norwegian Parliament for the Socialist Left (SV), and he's gone public with both his daughter's suicide and the circumstances surrounding it. He's won support from fellow politicians in Norway.

"All indications are that the Scientologist sect has played a direct role in Kaja's choice to take her own life," another member of parliament, Inga Marte Thorkildsen, and an acquaintance of the younger Ballo, told Oslo newspaper Dagbladet.

Kaja Ballo's family and friends claim she was in good humour, had many friends and was enjoying French studies in Nice until Friday March 28, when she was invited into a storefront Scientology center near the student housing complex where she lived.

A fellow student claimed on national television that she "changed" after the meeting and the receipt of results of a controversial personality test she was given by the Scientologists. She killed herself a few hours later.

Her uncle, Heljar Ballo, said in a nationally televised debate program on NRK Tuesday night that the test results were "devastating." She left a note with the test results, but he declined to comment on the note's contents.

"We can only relate the facts, that she was doing well in France, was happy and had many good friends, and that she took this test," Heljar Ballo said. He confirmed that his niece had suffered a serious eating disorder when she was 13 years old, and had received both professional help and help from family and friends.

Matthias Fosse, spokesman for the Church of Scientology in Norway, rejects any connection between the Scientologists' test and Kaja Ballo's suicide.
PHOTO: KATRINE NORDLI

Vigorous denials from the church
A spokesman for the Scientologists rejected any links between the test and the suicide, and said any accusations that the church was responsible for her suicide were "deeply unfair."

Matthias Fosse, information chief for the Church of Scientology in Norway, said the test isn't "dangerous," noting that "millions" of people have taken it. He claimed no one lured Ballo into taking the test, and that he was told she'd walked on her own into the Scientologists' locale in Nice.

He also pointed to Ballo's earlier eating disorder and suggested that she had a history of psychiatric problems.

Her uncle claimed she was fully recovered from problems she'd had as a young teen seven years ago. Her father blasted Fosse's remarks, telling newspaper VG that the Scientologists were tarnishing his daughter's memory and showing utter disregard for her private medical history.

'Break you down, build you up,' for a fee
Psychologist Rudy Myrvang said a test like the one administered by the Scientologists is not constructive, and rather aimed "at breaking you down, and then they'll offer to build you up again." It's a recruitment tool, he said, and a means of generating future income for the church.

A church critic, Andreas Heldal-Lund, agreed, claiming the Scientologists viewed people like Ballo as "'raw meat from the street.' You're told you're worth nothing."

Fosse rejected such claims, and denied the church preys on young, impressionable people.

The Church of Scientology was established in Norway in 1977. It says it has around 200 active members in Norway today and that around 8,000 persons in Norway have taken part in its activities.

Heljar Ballo said his family had opted to go public with Kaja Ballo's suicide in an effort to shed light on what happened. He said the family "had confidence" in the French police, and their investigation. Ballo's father, the Norwegian MP, has also hired a lawyer to pursue the matter.

Kaja Bordevich Ballo was buried at Grefsen Church in Oslo last Friday. Nearly 500 persons attended her funeral.

In his VV interview, Beghe says the three-minute YouTube video "barely scratches the surface" of a much longer session he recorded with Operation Clambake leader Andreas Heldal-Lund and the Anonymous group's "wise beard man," Mark Bunker. Though Beghe seems to be attempting to shoot down Scientology's cred by claiming the religion "stunts your evolution" and saying members aren't happy even after spending enormous amounts of money to reach level OT-VIII (beyond Clears), his maniacal laugh midway through the clip is eerily similar to Cruise's high-pitched giggles. And while a member of the Church, Beghe was declared "clear as a fucking bell." If the actor's aggressive ranting isn't enough to scare potential Scientologists like Smith out of joining the Knights of Hubbard, his current state of insanity certainly is.

...... On Monday night, Beghe — whom this column told you all about in his exit from Scientology after nearly 14 years — posted a message on a public forum at OperationClambake.com. He wants returned to him the mountains of folders, files and tapes that were compiled about him by the sect. So far, they’ve refused. .......

Miller wrote that Anonymous was behind the Google bomb, and that they had also tried to bump Scientology up as the first result in Google searches for "brainwashing cult," and to make the Xenu.net website first result in searches for "scientology".[41]

Andreas Heldal-Lund, founder of the Scientology-critical website and non-profit organization Operation Clambake, released a statement criticizing the digital assault against Scientology.[19] Heldal-Lund commented, "People should be able to have easy access to both sides and make up their own opinions. Freedom of speech means we need to allow all to speak - including those we strongly disagree with. I am of the opinion that the Church of Scientology is a criminal organisation and a cult which is designed by its delusional founder to abuse people. I am still committed to fight for their right to speak their opinion."[132] He also stated that "Attacking Scientology like that will just make them play the religious persecution card ... They will use it to defend their own counter actions when they try to shatter criticism and crush critics without mercy."[7]

A photo of Andreas is captioned: Andreas Heldal-Lund, founder of Operation Clambake.
FOOTNOTES
7 McMillan, Robert; IDG News Service. "Hackers Hit Scientology With Online Attack: Hacker group claims to have knocked the Church of Scientology's Web site offline with a distributed denial-of-service attack.", PC World, IDG, January 25, 2008. Retrieved on 2008-01-25.

19 George-Cosh, David. "Online group declares war on Scientology", National Post, Canwest Publishing Inc., January 25, 2008. Retrieved on 2008-01-25.

Naturally, I didn't have such luck finding any people who felt so strongly about Beck's beliefs in real life.

"I don't mind watching a Travolta movie or listening to a Scientologist musician" says Andreas Heldal-Lund, the anti-Scientology activist behind xenu.net. "But I do try to stay away from celebrities who use their position to promote the cult."

Huh? I spoke to Heldal-Lund specifically because I wanted a fire-and-brimstone speech about Beck and thetans and brainwashing. Instead, he's totally sensible.

"I imagine all artists are influenced by many things they experience, including a cult... if they visit one," Heldal-Lund continues.

Heldal-Lund is probably right. But it's hard to speculate how deeply Scientology influences Beck, especially given how tight-lipped he's been about it.

Brighton Anonymous received a small mention and picture in the latest issue of GScene,a local magazine for the LGBT community,with reference to the homophobia in Scientology.www.xenu.net was given as the address for more info.
Nice work,Brighton Anons!
A PDF of the magazine can be downloaded herehttp://www.gscene.co.uk/